We Stand Here Today

As we come to the threshold of the New Year,
The Torah calls,
You stand here with everyone,
With all those who came before you,
And with all those who will come after.

You stand here with those you love,
And with those with whom you deeply disagree.
You stand here with earth and all creation,
Deut. 29:9-14

Preparing to cross over into the cosmic unfolding of the New Year
Where all is in potential and anything can come to be.

How do we cross? How do we enter?

The Infinite Presence commands:
Go with Love.
Love with all your heart, with all your soul
And walk in the ways of love.
Deut. 30:16

The soul trembles, it cries,
Love?
In the face of all this horror and pain?
Love?
As violence rages
And the heart constricts in hatred and fear?

This is the covenant, the Infinite replies,
This is why you are here.

And it is not too great a task for you,
It is in your mouth and heart to do. 
Deut 30:14

Choose love.
Love those you love with all your heart, soul and strength.
Love the trees, sky, rivers and rocks.

Of course, there will be moments
When it will be impossible to love.
Let that be.
Love where you can as best you can.
This loving will make you strong.

I place before you all of life,
Good, evil, devastation, malice
Bounty and blessing.
         Listen to the calls of creation
         Bow into your relationship with mystery
         And choose.

Choose love. Choose to act from, with and for love.
For the sake of all creation
For the sake of all life.

         Everything is in potential
         Anything can come to be.

         Choose love.
This is in your heart and mouth to do.